Aeternum
by Tomocopter
Summary: Life seemed to be close to perfect for Danny and Sawyer, until a family emergency and a stressful work project threatens the lives they had built for themselves.
1. September 12th 1940

Chapter One

'I'm starting to think we'd have to be total masochists to actually enjoy working with these guys.'

'Or just people trying to stay on LB's good side. Might be the same thing, come to think of it.'

Sawyer sighed, pulling Danny closer to her as they walked. They had been filming their latest movie for the last few weeks, and while the script was more than entertaining the backers left a lot to be desired. The main reason they had both accepted their parts was because they wanted to work together more, but the pressure they were under made that beyond difficult. Still, she supposed it wasn't too bad. They still had the chance to spend the evenings together, and being together in those circumstances was vastly superior to being apart.

This was the first time either of them had worked on a genuinely stressful project. They saw each other, but neither had much of a chance to see their friends outside of the brief stolen conversations gained when they saw each other on set, and Sawyer had barely spoken to her father since the project had begun. In the year and a half both had spent working in Hollywood they had each made three films, all of which were a joy to work on. Having to spend their day hating what they were doing and who they were doing it for was not something they were used to. Sawyer sighed at the thought. It would all be over soon enough.

* * *

Sawyer threw herself down onto her couch as soon as they reached her apartment, as she listened to Danny trying to take the most optimistic view of their situation that was possible. 'It may not be any fun now, but the script is really good! And L.B. doesn't like these guys any more than we do so this'll probably be the last time we have to work with them! And anyways, our next jobs will seem really easy in comparison to this one!'

Sawyer smiled to herself as she listened to him speak on and on. One of the things she really admired about him was that, even after all that they had been through, he still genuinely saw the best in everything and everyone. He may not have been as naive as he was when he first arrived in Hollywood, but he hadn't lost any of that spark that made him _him._

She doubted anyone's life had ever been changed by a single person to the extent that her's was by Danny. Over the last 18 months both had gained not only their dream careers, but also their perfect (Or as close to it as either would get) partners. It may have taken them some time to adjust at the beginning - There were some huge differences in their personalities, and that coupled with huge changes both were undergoing in their own lives made it difficult at first, but together the two had fought through everything, and had reached this point together. It may not have been a family yet, but it was a start.

Sawyer smirked at the thought of family. It was an interesting topic where her and Danny were concerned, considering how much of it she would be gaining through Danny. Between his four siblings, parents and in-laws, it seemed as if there would be more people that she knew what to do with. She had managed to meet all of his family, excluding his mother (much to May's disappointment, as she often liked to remind her son), and had gotten on with them all famously, so it shouldn't have been too great a source of distress.

She nearly pitied Danny more when it came to her family, considering it only consisted of her father. Danny had yet to meet Jared, and even the thought of it was enough to send him into a cold sweat. She could understand why; she was his only child, and if he didn't take to Danny he could jeopardise everything, at least in Danny's view. That never worried Sawyer though; she couldn't imagine the two most decent men in her life being anything less than wonderful with each other. Or at least that's what she liked to tell herself.

She was struck by how much she missed her Dad. Their life may not have always been perfect, but that didn't mean it wasn't, in his words, _'A goddamned good one_'. She had gotten to visit him more often thanks to the greatly increased income which came with her new career, but there was only so much time she could spend with him. She worried about him being lonely. Still, she hoped that at Christmas she could fly him out to her, and that maybe the two of them along with Danny could spend the holidays together. She could think of worse things than a week with her boys.

Sawyer was brought back to reality with a bang with the sound of the radio, and looked up to find Danny standing over her with a smile and two coffee cups in hand, clearly having realised at some point during his rambling that she had drifted off. She smiled gratefully, taking one of the mugs from him and shifting so that they two had space together on the sofa as they drank their coffees. They didn't speak, but Danny pulled her legs up into her lap and they sat there, listening to the music and the sound of the other's breath as Danny kept a comforting hand on her legs. Both had to admit, that even at its worst this life wasn't half bad.

They lay together like that for a while, until a song change caused Danny to perk up and look at her expectantly. Glenn Miller. A favourite of both of theirs. Sawyer wasn't even mildly surprised when he jumped up and held a hand out to her, his eyes bright. She might have been tempted to turn him down; she was tired and sore and the thoughts of any kind of movement didn't sound too appealing, but at that moment she couldn't bring herself to turn him down. She took his hand with a wry smile, as he pulled her up into position.

They moved together easily; they always had. Things started off slowly, but it didn't take long before the two were spinning around her living room. Both laughed as they moved, just barely avoiding her furniture, but the potential for damage mattered less to them than the other cat they were pressed against. At those moments Sawyer lost all of her worries and sensibilities, and could feel herself wanting to spend all of their lives together like this more and more each moment.

The pair came to a halt as the song ended, with his back against the wall and her face pressed into his shoulder, both still giggling at the remnants of adrenaline coursing through their veins. She looked up into his eyes and felt a sudden throb of love for the man; she couldn't even bring herself to feel ridiculous about this, as she leaned in and closed the gap between them with a kiss, which he returned eagerly.

Both were brought back to reality with the harsh sound of the phone ringing. Sawyer was sorely tempted to just let it ring out, but the adult side of her brain took over. Pulling back from Danny, she walked over and picked up the receiver.

Danny sighed as she pulled away, silently cursing whoever it was on the other end of the line. Moving away from the wall, he sat down and began fixing up his clothes, which had gotten somewhat disrupted during their activities. He glanced up quickly at Sawyer, and was struck by the way she looked. Eyes wide, face pale, barely containing her panic. _Oh no_. Danny shot up off the couch and over to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. It didn't seem as if she was saying much of anything.

After what seemed like forever, Sawyer finally put down the phone. Time seemed to stretch on forever as she said nothing. Danny could feel the tension in her shoulders, and tried to think of what could have happened. He was struck by the look on Sawyer's face; shock with barely contained blind panic.

'Dad had a heart attack.'


	2. September 13th 1940

It was past four in the morning when Danny finally gave up on sleep. It had taken some time to bring Sawyer back to reality, and after that they had spent hours on the phone trying to get in contact with any family Sawyer had left in Boston, as well as calling the hospital in which Sawyer's father worked. Both proved useless, and by two both had agreed to head to sleep and then try again in the morning.

Sleep came easier to Sawyer; as if the emotional exhaustion had pushed her over the edge into a deep sleep. Danny hadn't been as lucky. He pressed a soft kiss to Sawyer's forehead, and left for the living room.

He hated feeling so useless. Normally he was the source of comfort; the person who never failed to cheer people up even in terrible situations. There was no use in that now. He may have tried to paint the best picture possible for her, but it didn't take long for both to realise that there were no positives to this situation.

He began to clean what parts of her apartment he could., thinking back on the night's events. Sawyer hadn't mentioned wanting to go back to Boston, and he hadn't brought it up. Leaving now would mean that she would have to abandon their project right in the middle of production. Not only would that mean ticking off their producer; It would mean acknowledging just how bad things could be. That her Dad might die.

Danny hadn't had the pleasure of meeting Jared; largely due to his own fears and insecurities that seemed so silly now. Now he might never get the chance. That made his heart ache in a way which he couldn't quite describe._ Geez, if I'm like this I can only imagine how Sawyer feels._

That thought made him stop. He could remember how upset he had been hearing that his little sister had broke her leg when he couldn't be there to help her, and that was nothing life threatening. Everyone had the right to be with the people they loved in their time of need, no matter the circumstances. Especially if it might be their last chance.

Danny shot up from his seat, and hurried into the bedroom to pull on his jacket, suddenly grateful that they hadn't thought to undress. He glanced up at her clock. 4.45. If he was quick he could be back before seven. He leaned down to place a final, lingering kiss to Sawyer's head. 'I'll take care of everything' he whispered, before hurrying out the door and into the night.

* * *

It was 6 pm by the time Sawyer's flight was called. The flight seemed to be pretty empty, so boarding wouldn't take too long. The waiting still left her too much time to think about everything. About her father, her career, Danny. Everything just felt like a bad dream.

* * *

_'Your flight is booked for this evening. If we start packing now we can have you there in plenty of time. You'll be home with time to spare'. Sawyer stared down at the ticket in her hands, unsure of how to respond. she hadn't really thought of leaving as an option._

_'Danny this is a lovely gesture but...I don't know if this is a good idea.'_

_'And what makes you say that?'_

_'Between you, the movie and everything I just don't know if this is-'_

_She was cut off by Danny, who sat down and grabbed her two hands in hers. 'I'll be ok, LB can sort something out, and right now you shouldn't have to worry about anyone but your dad. Listen, you know that's where you want to be. And I'll be right here when you get back'_

* * *

He had been totally right, and she had let him drop her off with no resistance. She would miss him dearly, but it wasn't a time for romantic goodbyes. A day spent making endless phone calls which seemed to get them nowhere had left them both drained, to the point where it was tough to care about anything but getting her on that flight. She was relieved to board, and even more so to find that she had gotten a seat by herself at the back. She needed a little privacy.

'Excuse me, Miss McDermid?'

Sawyer was alerted by a kind faced flight attendant standing over her, holding out a parcel. 'Your boyfriend left this with us this morning; he asked for it to be left with you'.

Sawyer scarcely knew what to say, but managed to muster up the common sense to thank the woman before taking her package. Looking down, she noticed a small note addressed to her, and began to read.

**_Sawyer,_**

**_In here you'll find some supplies to keep you and your Dad going while you find your feet. Mom always said a good, easy meal was the best help during hard times, and I just hope she's right._**

**_Now on to the important stuff: Don't worry. Your Dad's a strong guy, and he'll make it. He's a doctor, and he knows how to take care of himself. And don't worry about the job, I'll take care of everything. And finally, don't worry about me. I'm a big boy, and I'll keep myself together until you get back. Don't worry more than you need to, and just remember I love you. Always will._**

**_Danny_**

Sawyer stared down at the page, beginning to notice how her eyes stung. With shaking hands she put the letter back, and finally cried in earnest.


	3. September 14th 1940

_Boston, MA_

No matter how many times Sawyer traveled by plane, she was always vaguely surprised by the discomfort it brought. It was as if the anticipation of what was to come negated all previous unpleasant memories, only to have them come flooding back mid-trip. The only difference here was that she was experiencing the wrong kind of anticipation.

She had to admit that it was probably a blessing in disguise. It was easier to think of the ache in her back and her tired muscles than it was to think of her father, lying in his hospital bed in God knows what state. She always knew to appreciate a welcome distraction.

She braced herself as her cab pulled up outside the hospital, just barely building up enough strength to force herself inside. She had finally managed to get in touch with someone at the hospital after landing, and had finally gotten some small bit of information about her father; stable, but had yet to regain consciousness. She didn't need to be a doctor to know that, in situations like this, it was better if people woke up.

* * *

It didn't take her long to find her Dad's room. She had spent half of her childhood wandering around this place after him. She even remembered him finding a spare stethoscope and white coat for her on long days so she could join in. Sawyer distinctly remembered the adventures of Doctors J. and S. McDermid being a real hit among her father's older patients. That world seemed miles away at that moment, as she barely forced herself into his room.

She had known what to expect on a theoretical level; the machines, the bed, the patient. It was a very different experience when the patient was your own father. Pale, small and fragile; he didn't cut the same fine figure of a man that she was used to.

Sitting down gently on the edge of his bed, she placed a hand softly on his cheek. Was it really possible that this was a man still in his forties? Jared had always been a fine looking man; lean, strong and handsome, with a kind of confidence befitting his intelligence. She barely recognised him in the frail man lying before her.

All cynicism aside, part of her had hoped for a movie ending; he would sit up, stirred by the voice of his child, and everything would be normal. It didn't take long for it to become clear to her that it wouldn't happen. She didn't see herself leaving until it did.

Sighing, Sawyer pulled a spare seat as close to her father as possible, leaning in to place a soft kiss to his forehead. 'I'm not going anywhere'.

* * *

_Hollywood, CA_

Danny awoke with a start at the sound of a knock at his door, and wondered briefly what cruel god it was that refused to let him sleep beyond seven. Sleeping hadn't been easy last night, but the exhaustion of the previous days seemed to hit him all at once, sending him off. Clearly there was no hope of him getting anything beyond the bare minimum he needed.

He rose solemnly, and rushed to open the door as quickly as he could, just to end the banging. Admittedly, whatever small amount of annoyance he felt disappeared quickly after opening his doors to reveal Tillie and Pudge, and he invited them both in happily.

The trio spoke about Sawyer for some time. Danny had contacted those two at the studio, and both had been dying of curiosity ever since. It was something of a wonder that she had been able to contain herself.

At that moment she seemed particularly caught up in the contents of the care package she was going to send his way. 'Well, I figured food wouldn't hold up all the way, but it gets so cold in Boston this time of year that I was thinking of sending him some of my knitting! I think a nice sweater or something might do just the trick!'

'And you came here to ask me about sewing patterns?' Danny asked, a teasing smile on his face. It was good to have a normal conversation. Or at least a normal conversation by Tillie's standards.

The pair opposite him exchanged a definite Look at that, shifting uncomfortably in their chairs. 'Well, that isn't the only reason. We were talking with L.B. last night, and he was saying that you two couldn't show up yesterday, and that Sawyer wouldn't be available...'

'That's right. And what did he mean by that?'

'Well...he just said some of the backers were getting a little hot under the collar, y'know? About whether or not Sawyer would be back. He kinda wanted you to meet with them this morning.'

Danny sat back for a moment, taking in what they just said. Suddenly he sat forward, shaking his head with a smile. 'You guys worry too much! Sure, they'll have to change some schedules, but it can't be too serious! I'll go in now and sort everything out!'

Tillie and Pudge simply smiled at that, but neither could really wipe the worry off their face. 'Hope you're right.'

* * *

Danny had to admit that the meeting appeared to far more sombre than he had hoped for. Not only was there L.B, but there was also a roomful of the backers from their current film. He suddenly understood why Sawyer had called the all grey faced. He took his seat, staring out into the sea of faces in front of him, without seeing one that looked remotely pleased.

L.B. looked as if he wanted to say something, before he was cut off by one of the backers, who leaned across the table to stare him in the eyes. 'Would you like to tell me how it is we're supposed to rescue this movie?'


	4. September 15th 1940

**_Boston, MA_**

_She always found it hard to sleep after her mother died. Her mom had always been the one to tuck her in before bed, and somehow among all of the changes their lives had undergone that seems the biggest. Ghosts seemed to lurk between those four walls, and her protector had joined them._

_Her father had begun to notice the change in her; just how tired she looked. Still, it was a surprise to hear her door creak open one night soon after the funeral. There stood Jared, with the same worry writ across his face that had been there for months. He closed the space between him and the bed in a number of short steps, and sat down gently at the edge of her bed, facing her._

_Softly, he reached out an arm to stroke the fur on the top of her head gently, and began a slow hum. The sing was something sweet and sad, and reminded her of her mother even without having heard it. It didn't take long for it to work, as she began to slowly drift off to-_

Sawyer awoke with a start, with the realisation that she wasn't living the cosy dream she was having. The nurses at her Dad's hospital knew her well, and didn't have the heart to kick her out. She had fallen asleep a few hours after arriving, in as uncomfortable as a person could be, leaning off of her chair with her head resting on his bed. Suddenly, she realised she shared one thing in common with that memory. The hand on the back of her head.

She sat up with a bolt, grabbing that hand and holding it in a vice grip. He lay back on the bed, looking ten years older than he had ever looked before, with the frailest smile she had ever seen. Still, he was there and awake and alive and Sawyer didn't think she had ever seen anything more beautiful in her life. She took that hand and held it to her cheek, squeezing her eyes tight to stop herself from crying.

He seemed to use all of his energy to smirk up at his daughter. 'Expecting the worst?'

* * *

Sawyer stood back and watched as a nurse treated her father. There was little that could be done for him bar morphine and bedrest, and he was getting both with great generosity. His nurse sat back, and glanced between the pair of them. 'Well, Dr. McDermid, everything seems to be in order. Just relax and get that daughter to spoil you!' She said, shooting a wink at Sawyer before leaving them alone.

Sawyer stepped forward and sat at the end of his bed, take him in. 'You know, you could have woken me up before. I flew out all this way to see you.'

'You looked tired. I figured you could use the rest.'

She sat down at the edge of his bed, and took one of his hands in her own. 'You're one to talk'. She was right. Even with his hectic schedule, he always carried a certain type of energy. That was totally gone now, replaced with a look of near total exhaustion.

She kissed the back of her father's hand softly, trying to take in all of the vast differences contained in his face. 'Dad...can I ask you something?'

'Shoot'

'Do you remember how you, you know...got in this position?'. The staff at the hospital hadn't been able to give her a definitive answer, only that he had been found by one of the nurses.

'Well...there's only so much I remember.' he shifted uncomfortably in his bed. 'I was on duty and started to feel a little faint, so I went into one of the break rooms for a nap. Then I just remember Next time I came to, you were here.' He smiled softly at that, giving her hand a light squeeze.

Sawyer took a deep breath, and tried to process that. 'I just don't get it...You're a healthy guy, and you've never had anything like this before. How does this just happen?'

'I don't know what to tell you sweetheart. I've been working pretty long hours, and I guess they must have caught up with me.'

Sawyer shot him a mildly annoyed look at that. 'Aw Dad, you said you weren't going to do that anymore! No one can work 12 hours a day, every day. It's no wonder you'd get sick.'

'Here now, that's not exactly fair! It isn't like I have anything else to fill my time, and I'm more than capable of doing this.'

'Clearly you aren't! If you were you wouldn't be here!'

'Well, I'd rather do what I do and be here now, than be at home and have nothing to do!'

Sawyer sighed, noticing how worked up her father was getting. 'Okay, okay...I really don't think now is the right time to fight.'

'Heh, agreed.'

'Okay, I'm going to go home and get some of your stuff. Will you be okay without me.'

'I'll manage.' He smiled up at her. 'Listen darling...Thanks, for coming back. I know you had a lot to leave behind. I wouldn't have expected this.'

'Dad, of course I was going to be back. I love you, I'm always gonna take care of you.'

She stood up, preparing to leave. 'Don't worry about anything Dad. I'm here for a long time. You'll have someone to take care of things.'

* * *

**_Los Angeles, CA_**

'I can't decide if this proves you're a fool, or that true love exists. Probably both.'

Tillie swatted Cranston on the back of the head, giving him a gentle (Well, as gentle as Tillie could be) warning. Danny only managed to return a soft smile, clearly lacking the energy to return anything more than that.

The backers on his latest project had been less than thrilled with Sawyer's departure, and seemed to be holding him personally responsible. His schedule had been changed to try and shoot any of his scenes without Sawyer first, but that could only last so long. Soon they would need her, and that would prove more than difficult.

None of them had wanted to talk about the possibility of Sawyer not being able to make it back in time, which was more than likely. The backers were furious, and had made it clear that they would make life difficult if she didn't come back.

Danny stood up. 'I'm gonna give her a call. See what's happening.'

Danny stepped outside Pinky's and into the warm night air, coming into contact quickly with a payphone. He dialed the number, and after several rings he was beginning to give up hope when someone picked up.

'McDermid residence, Sawyer speaking,'

'Very formal Sawyer, I don't think I've ever heard you be so polite.'

'Daniel Scott Gene Kelly' she said, voice as warm as either of them had ever heard it, 'If it wasn't for you getting me here I wouldn't put up with your guff.'

'Yes you would, you think I'm cute.'

'Just a little' she paused. 'It's really good to hear from you'

'Ditto. How's your Dad?'

She sighed. 'He's awake, speaking and everything. The nurses sent me home for the night, they said he needed his sleep.'

Danny perked up at that. 'That's great news! Jeez, I was expecting worse news than that! Does this mean we might be seeing you back home sooner than expected?'

He could hear her shuffling at the other end. 'That last part could be a problem. He's still so sick, and he's going to need a lot of taking care of. There isn't really anyone but me to do that.'

'I understand.'

'It isn't just that. He just seems so...lonely. I mean, this happened because he was working himself to death. I don't know when I can get out of here.'

'Listen, don't worry about anything. You need to take care of you Dad, we can take care of everything on this end. He should be the only thing you're worried about.'

'Heh, you know how to treat a girl right Mr. Kelly.'

'So I've been told...I miss you.'

'And I miss you.'

'I'll call soon. I love you.'

She chuckled. 'Ditto'.


	5. September 25th 1940

_**Los Angeles, CA**_

If Danny had been told 2 weeks previously that a break in shooting would fill him with dread, he would have laughed. That was before he was (or at least felt) responsible for someone else's career. Especially when that person was his girlfriend.

This was how he had managed to find himself sitting across from L.B. Mammoth and several of the backers, none of whom seemed happy.

One of the backer leaned towards him. 'Mr. Kelly, you assured us that if we gave you some time that Ms. McDermid would be able to get back here and finish filming. We gave you time, and where is she? Nowhere to be found.'

'Well, sir, you have to understand that her father is really ill. You can't expect-'

'Oh believe me, we can expect. We're here hemorrhaging money while she's gone. And if we continue to lose money we will expect there to be consequences for her. Do you understand me?'

Danny had nothing to say to that, and could only manage a nod in reply.

'Very good. You can leave now, and be sure not to disappoint us.'

* * *

Danny didn't have the will to stop and talk to anyone after his meeting, and had breezed by all of his friends. Once he arrived home he flopped down on his couch, not wanting to see or hear from anyone.

Up until that point he had truly believed that everything would work out, that Sawyer would either come back or that the backers would come to their senses. It was only at that moment that he began to realise that he had failed. He promised he would take care of everything, and he hadn't. Never in his life and he felt so-

**_*RingRing*_**

Danny sighed, and dearly wanted to not answer. At that moment sitting back and ignoring everyone for a night. It was only the slim possibility that it might be Sawyer on a late night call that made him answer.

'Danny-boy, how the hell are ya?'

Danny smiled. Ben was one of his older brothers, and as much as he could be a pain in the butt, he was the kind of guy you would want to talk to at a time like this.

'Benjamin! How's the family?'

'Not too bad. Nancy may have me killed if we don't have a baby by this time next year, so that's been taking up most of my time.'

'It's a hard life. Mom and Dad?'

'They're good, worried about you. Mom wanted me to ask if you knew what Sawyer's dad eats; she's putting together a care package.'

'Of course she is. That why you called?'

'I just wanted to hear what's happening.'

'Well, Sawyer's dad is getting out of hospital today. She's relieved, as you can imagine.'

'You don't sound very happy. Hoping she might have some inheritance coming her way?'

Danny frowned at that. 'That isn't funny. Let's just say that the studio ain't too happy about the way things have worked out. I'm starting to worry that her contract with Mammoth Studios won't last too long.'

'Her Dad nearly died, Jesus! What kind of jackasses are you working for?'

'I ask myself that every day.'

Ben sighed. 'What are you gonna do?'

Danny ran a hand over his face, trying to process his thoughts. 'I don't know. She kinda knows how bad things are, but I don't know if I should tell her everything. She's under enough pressure. We all are.'

'Dan, can I ask you something?' something changed in his voice at that moment, but Danny couldn't place what.

'Shoot.'

'What are you still doing there?'

Danny was surprised by that. 'Excuse me?'

'Why haven't you gone to be with her?'

'Ben, it isn't that-'

'Listen, I know how difficult it must be for you both right now. All I'm saying is, if it was Nancy, I would drop anything to be with her. And I know you think the same way I do.'

'Listen, I can't just leave.'

'I know you can't. I don't know your life. But just think about what I said.'

* * *

**_Boston, MA_**

Sawyer pushed her father's front door open with great enthusiasm. 'Welcome home, Dr. McDermid! It's time for you to remember what it's like to actually be at home. Not that you did much of that in the first place.'

Jared chuckled and took his first step inside. He was finally starting to look better, with a bit of colour coming back to his face. He may not have looked as dapper as he had before, but he was getting there.

He threw himself down on the couch, getting a head start on some of the rest that his doctors had insisted upon. He didn't even stop to look at any of the presents his family had sent.

Sawyer grinned down at him. 'Have you finally embraced relaxation as a way of life?'

'I could certainly get used to this. Sit with me?'

She sat down at the end of the couch, and smiled at her dad. He returned her smile, but then shifted up, clearly having something he wanted to ask. 'So, when are you going back?'

'Whenever you don't need me anymore.'

'And what about your career?'

'That's something that neither of us should be worried about right now.'

He chuckled. 'And what about that young man of yours?'

Sawyer tried to smile, but it was troubled. 'He'll be fine. If he really loves me, he won't mind. And I know he does.'

He sat up, and looked at her directly in the eyes. 'Sweetheart, that isn't the way life works. It isn't fair for you two to be separated.'

'I have two important men in my life. Right now, I need to be with you.'

'Hmm...It's a shame it can't be both.'

Sawyer swatted him gently. 'If we were able to both be here, we would. Believe me, that would be my preference.


	6. September 26th-28th 1940

_**Boston, MA**_

'Will you please just call Danny; I don't know if I can stand watching you mope around all day.'

Sawyer swatted at her father gently, which made him laugh. He was mostly teasing, but there was more than a grain of truth in what he was saying. She was used to seeing Danny everyday, and taking a break from that was proving difficult.

Whatever pride had kept her from immediately accepting her father's suggestion went quickly, and soon she had left the room to find the phone (much to Jared's amusement). It was 7am LA time, the farm boy should be awake.

Her logic seemed accurate, as he answered after the first ring. 'Hm, eager to hear from me Mr. Kelly?'

'Sawyer?' he asked, a note of surprise in his voice, 'Didn't think I'd be hearing from you this early.'

'I figured I'd catch you before you left...you okay?'

'Yeah, yeah...little trouble with the studio, but I'll take care of it.'

Ah. That made sense. Clearly things were not running as smoothly as he had been letting on. 'Danny, you know you can tell me if anything's wrong.'

'You don't need to worry about it. You need to think of your Dad; nothing down here that I can't handle!' He was trying to put some of his trademark enthusiasm in, and was failing.

'I take it the studio is even less happy with me that we expected.'

'Listen, they may not be thrilled, but I swear to you that I'll handle it. You've gotta leave this one up to me if you want to focus on your Dad...Trust me?'

'You know I do.'

* * *

**_Los Angeles, CA_**

'Wait wait wait. So you're telling me you want to confront these clowns?'

'That's the plan!'

Danny and the gang sat gathered around a table at Pinky's Diner, and discussed Danny's plans for dealing with the backers. Cranston thought the word 'plan' was being used very generously.

Danny gave each of them an eager smile. 'Come on, they must know how much money Sawyer brings in for the studio. They aren't gonna get rid of her over one stupid delay. They know they've got us both scared, and I'm gonna show them I'm not afraid!'

Pudge beamed. 'So you really think they're gonna do it?'

'Why not? The amount of money they'd make off this picture'll outweigh any extra costs by at least ten to one! It's a no brainer.'

Woolie didn't seem to share Danny's confidence. 'And supposing they don't go for any of this? What do we do then?'

Danny went silent for a moment, draining his coffee to give himself a moment to think. 'I'll think about that when it happens.'

* * *

'I'm sorry,_ what?_'

Before filming had even begun they had all been warned about Edward Muntz who, in the words of L.B. Mammoth, was 'the most miserable son-of-a-bitch I or anyone else is ever likely to meet'. In that moment that became all too clear to Danny.

'Well, sir...' he faltered briefly, and tried to regain any small piece of composure he started out with, 'I just think that it'll save you a lot of cash if you could just move production. I mean, if you scrap production altogether then you're just left with a whole lot of useless footage. You could just-'

Muntz put his hand up, silencing Danny. 'You think this is only about money? No, this is about teaching you good for nothing freeloaders a lesson. You animals think you can just take us for a ride? We're running a business here Mist-'

'You animals?' Danny sat forward, closing the distance between the two. 'And what exactly does species have to do with my girlfriend's father nearly dying?'

'Don't give me any of that crap. Typical of an animal, using a lame excuse to get out of doing a honest days work.'

In that moment Danny suddenly became aware of how everyone in the room seemed to have faded into the background. He pulled himself out of his chair, and began to gather his things.

'What do you think you're doing?! Sit down, boy!'

'With all due respect, you have no right to speak to me that way.'

'Like hell I don't! If you-'

'Mr. Muntz, you are willing to jeopardize both this movie and all of these people's money just to prove a point. I don't think we have anything left to talk about.'

Danny was prepared to leave, when he turned to look at the other people present. He paused for a moment to consider what he wanted to say, before addressing them.

'Listen, her career won't end because of this. You can get L.B. to let her go, but do you really believe that she won't be picked up again in a heartbeat?' Danny stepped forward, looking at each member imploringly.

'If she goes, me and every other animal actor in this place are gonna follow sooner or later. Don't let some racist old fool stop this film from happening. You're either gonna end up with a wonderful film or some useless footage.'

Danny stepped out of the room, before turning around one last time to look L.B. in the eyes.

'Think about it.'

* * *

**_Boston, MA_**

Sawyer sighed in frustration as she hauled a criminally large number of shopping bags along with her. Jared still had to get as much rest as he possibly could, which meant that he had been left behind to sleep while she went out to do whatever errands needed to be done. Far from her favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

In truth, more of her frustration was coming from the fact that she hadn't been able to contact Danny for a couple of days. She had tried his apartment more times that she could keep track of, with no luck. All of their friends had played their cards pretty close to their chests, leaving Sawyer feeling endlessly frustrated.

Sawyer rooted for the keys in her pocket, frustration mounting. It wasn't like it was _hard_ to just call someone and let them know what was going on. As if she didn't have enough to cope with, her boyfriend could at least-'

She paused as she reached her Father's gate. There sitting on his doorstep was the most beautiful, wonderful, frustrating man she had ever known. Her Danny.

He shot up when he saw her, removing his hat to play with it nervously. 'I looked in the window and saw that your Dad was asleep, I didn't want to-'

He never got a chance to finish that sentence, as Sawyer took off, and threw her arms around him while placing a hard kiss to his lips. Danny didn't complain, and returned the greeting with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

Sawyer pressed a number of short, soft kisses to his lips before they broke apart in earnest. Danny smiled down at her, and felt his arm being grabbed. Sawyer led him in her front door by the arm, shooting him a soft smile which said that he brought this on himself.

'Dad, you awake? There's someone special I want you to meet...'


	7. September 28th-29th 1940

_**Boston, MA**_

'You're absolutely sure he liked me?'

'He does, but I'm not sure if I will if you ask me again.'

'At this point I think impressing him is more important than impressing you. You have to like me by now, he's still on the fence.'

Sawyer laughed, and closed the small distance between them to kiss Danny softly. 'It's cute how you think you've finished wooing me.'

The pair lay together in Sawyer's childhood bed, huddled close together as they chattered softly about the recent events. Particularly the recent introduction of the two men in Sawyer's life.

* * *

_Danny started sweating bullets the moment he was brought into that house. When he was outside it was easier to occupy himself with thoughts of Sawyer (and whether or not she would kill him for showing up unannounced). The fact that everything up to that point had gone far better than expected only seemed to increase his anxiety. It was rare for Danny Kelly to be lucky twice in one day._

_Sawyer gave him a smile which was somehow both comforting and filled with a kind of delight caused by the knowledge of the discomfort he was about to go through. Every inch of that smile told him that he had brought all of this on himself._

_'Dad, you awake? There's someone special I want you to meet...''_

_Sawyer grabbed his arm more tightly and yanked him to her side, clearly not willing to give him any opportunity to escape. Smart girl._

_Danny glanced around the living room as he was dragged in. There was the expected, furniture and various family photos and mementos. Then there came the slightly more unusual; the floor was littered with various medications and the couch had been turned into a makeshift bed to save Sawyer's dad the stress of climbing up to his own room. Danny only barely took these features in however, as he was more distracted by Dr. Jared McDermid._

_Admittedly the man was far less intimidating than he may have been on any other day before all of this. He sat unshaven and in his pyjamas, clearly too tired to view the world as sharply as he would have normally liked. Still, he carried the same presence with him that his daughter did, and that was enough to send any potential son-in-law into a state of panic._

_Jared glanced up at his daughter, and seemed to take a few moments to understand the significance of the man standing next to her. He seemed nearly as shocked as Danny felt, but recovered quickly._

_'Well, well...this is a surprise.' He sounded calm, and shot Danny a reassuring smile. He felt any man who had had the experience of meeting his in-laws for the first time should display the same sympathy. He closed the gap between them to shake Danny's hand firmly._

_'Welcome to my home, please know that you're welcome here for as long as you like'. He gave Danny's hand what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze before letting him go._

_Danny gulped, determined to at least keep his voice at a normal level. 'It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. McDermid...I really hope I'm not intruding.'_

_Jared laughed, clapping Danny on the back, 'It's Jared, and you definitely are not. Besides, I think Sawyer and I might need someone else to talk to before we get sick of each other's company', he said, giving his daughter a soft wink._

_Jared put a hand in Danny's back and motioned him gently towards his kitchen, 'Come on, I have a cheesecake in the fridge. I've heard you have a sweet-tooth, so this should be perfect getting-to-know-you food for the three of us.'_

_Danny beamed, clearly thrilled that the man had yet to murder him. 'Sounds perfect to me!'_

_'And to me...by the way, could I possibly get your parent's address? I wanted to thank them for the sweater they sent...Sawyer always did say that red was my colour.'_

* * *

The three chatted well into the evening, before exhaustion finally took over Jared and he was forced to return to his bed. After what felt like hours of Sawyer convincing Danny that of course her dad wouldn't care of they shared a bed, they headed off too. That wasn't to say that much sleep was actually happening.

'I just wanted to make sure I made a good first impression. If I don't win him over that's 100% of your immediate family who hate me. There's a little bit of pressure.'

Sawyer laughed, 'I have like 10 times as many people to impress on your side, you don't get to complain.' She leaned up to kiss him again, 'Besides, you flew across the country to be with me. It's not like he's gonna think you don't care.'

That did help him, and he leaned in for one last kiss, before stalling. 'You sure you don't wanna talk about the stud-'

Before he could finish, Sawyer wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled her in for a firm kiss. 'Not right now...'

Danny woke with a start, only to find that it was barely 4 am. He sighed at that; a mixture of a change in time-zones and a strange sleeping pattern meant he felt fresh as a daisy, worse luck. He stood up, prepared to get a drink from the kitchen to at least fill some time.

He at least had a vague idea of where the kitchen was, and attempted to find a glass for himself when-.

'You couldn't sleep either?'

Danny jumped and spun around, only to be met by the form of Jared, sitting at his table and doing damage to what was left of the cheesecake. Jared smirked at him in a way which bore an uncanny resemblance to Sawyer, but was kind enough to drop it after that.

'Join me? I'll feel better about finishing this thing if someone else at least helps me.'

'Be happy to!' Danny chose a seat opposite Jared, before beginning work on the dessert. 'Not exactly part of the heart attack diet, huh?'

Jared laughed, 'Definitely, but I think I may have to kill someone if I see another salad. Your mom sent a box of cookies in her package that I had to hide from Sawyer. I need this.'

Danny laughed, 'Your secret's safe with me, sir!'

'Much obliged...and it's always Jared to you, my boy.'

The pair ate in silence for a few moments, when Jared turned to look at Danny. 'Listen...I don't want to panic you or anything, but there is something I wanted to say to you.'

Uh-oh. Danny gulped, barely meeting the older man's gaze. 'Sure, what is it?'

'Don't worry, it isn't anything bad...' he took another bite before continuing. 'Listen, not many man would have gone out of their way to be here, and certainly not many of the men Sawyer has dated...I just wanted you to know that, I've never seen Sawyer this way before. I think you're good for each other.'

Danny blushed, 'Why, thank you-'

'Basically you two have my permission to start popping out grandkids for me as soon as you like.'

Danny choked on the piece of cake in his mouth, only to feel Jared's hand coming round to clap him on the back. 'Sorry about that, I suppose you probably see Sawyer didn't get any kind of sentimental side from me.'

Danny managed to regain his composure, as he gave Jared a weak smile. 'I think we're probably gonna get married before that becomes an issue, but we'll be sure to let you know'.

Jared beamed, 'Oh, so it's marriage you're thinking of then?'

Whatever reply Danny may have given was cut off by the sound of a light switch being flipped; soon Sawyer appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a bathrobe and looking moderately unimpressed. She glanced between the food and the two guilty faces staring back at her.

'You would think a doctor would take better care of himself.'

* * *

'Worst case scenario, we could always turn to Disney.'

'Stop, there's a time and place for twee, but I don't think I could face it on a day-to-day basis.'

One could only deny reality for so long, and by the following morning both Danny and Sawyer had accepted the fact that they may have to consider alternate plans for if (and as far as they were concerned, when) Mammoth Studios terminated their contracts. They knew that getting hired shouldn't be nearly as difficult as choosing somewhere they would both enjoy.

Danny threw an arm around Sawyer. 'I think we're just going to end up picking somewhere out of a hat when the time comes. We might as well give it a rest.'

'Couldn't agree more. So how do you plan on spending the day then?'

'Well, I-'

The pair were interrupted by the entrance of Jared, 'Hey, did either of you order a cab?'

The pair looked at each other, confused, 'Nope', Sawyer said, 'why do you ask?'

'Cause there's one waiting outside for you. Told me to mention someone called Peebo Pudgemeyer.'

* * *

The cab ride passed in relative silence. Their driver didn't even have much to tell them, bar the name of the caller and the location. Why on earth Pudge was sending them to some warehouse on the opposite side of town was beyond either of them.

They paid the driver, and began to walk towards the building, still unsure of why it was they were there.

'Hey, they're here!' a small voice yelled out.

The couple turned at that, only to be met with the site of their friends. Cranston, Woolie, Pudge...they had all made it out.

They barely had time to process it before Tillie rushed over to cover both of their eyes. 'No questions, and no peeking! Oh, I hope you're going to love this!'

They could scarcely have gotten in a question of they had tried, as they were both half dragged towards an undisclosed location. The only hint was the sound of a warehouse door being rolled

back when suddenly-.

Tillie released the two, and they struggled to regain their composure. Pulling themselves together, they looked up and-

They could barely believe their eyes. The sets, camera equipment, actors...everything was there. They glanced back at the others, as if asking for permission, before heading out to explore.

The two found themselves standing in front of the set. Admittedly, there was far less there than there was in the Mammoth Studios set, but what they had managed to actually get out there was amazing. Danny was about to speak when the pair both felt hands being placed on their shoulders. They turned to find themselves facing LB Mammoth.

He removed the cigar from his mouth to speak. 'Let's just say that Muntz was put firmly in his place after Danny left...Get yourselves into hair and makeup and we can get this show on the road.'


	8. October 10th-November 12th 1940

'That's a wrap folks!'

A cheer erupted after that which seemed to spread like wildfire, seeming to leave a miniature celebration in its wake. The last several weeks had brought a great deal of uncertainty, and the knowledge that there would definitely be a paycheck coming their way was the best news many of them could have hoped for.

Danny, Sawyer, and the gang found each other. Their joy was so abundant they could almost taste it, and they began pulling each other (even Cranston) into tight hugs. No matter the cost of their coup, this was done. They had finished this.

They were primed and ready to head out for a drink, a final hurrah to celebrate their finished product, when they heard a voice call out behind them.

'Excuse me, may I speak to Danny and Sawyer? It should only take a minute.' LB stood behind them, clearly looking as uncomfortable with the celebrations as any man in that situation could. They could only imagine how furious Muntz must have been - There was a huge difference in emotion in that room.

Danny and Sawyer exchanged weary looks as they approached him. It wasn't that they expected to get away totally unacathed; they just hoped to maybe get a couple of days where they didn't have to think about it. As if they had ever been so lucky.

Sawyer was the first to step forward. 'So, what's the bad news.'

LB chuckled. 'Well, I don't know if I would call it bad...Listen, Muntz isn't happy. If he had it his way there would be no animals in Hollywood. To be blunt, he wants you both to have your asses handed to you.'

'I'm not sure how this isn't bad news.'

'I'm getting there. The point is, we aren't listening. Mammoth Pictures is much more than him, and you two are worth ten times what he is. He might have had the kind of clout he thinks he has ten years ago, but not now.'

Danny paused, a grin starting to spread across his face, 'So what you're saying is...'

LB, despite his best efforts, couldn't help but return the smile, 'What I'm saying is...you two need not worry about your futures here at Mammoth Pictures.'

Before he knew it LB had two sets of arms thrown around him, and was drawn into one of the tightest hugs the man had ever experienced. Sawyer leaned forward to peck him on the cheek, 'Thank you Mr. Mammoth, you won't regret this!'

'I know that.'

* * *

Neither Danny or Sawyer had any real plan for how long they were going to stay in Boston. The initial plan had been to just stay around for as long as Jared needed them, but that moment came sooner than any of them had expected. Soon he was back working, and they were leaving.

They left on a fine Saturday morning, and it seemed as if Danny was left to do most of the carrying of supplies. 'I'll never not be surprised by the amount of stuff you can accumulate in such a short time'

'Quiet you', she said with a laugh, before turning back to her Dad, 'You're sure you'll be okay here without us?'

It was amazing how much better Jared looked. His weight was up and the colour was back in his face; he seemed to be carrying the same sort of dignity with him that he did before he got sick. 'Of course. I'm starting to work again; I can't have you two sitting here bored all day. Who knows what you'll get up to?'

Sawyer laughed, giving her father's arm a gentle squeeze. 'And you swear you won't overwork yourself again?'

'Definitely not. I got used to being lazy, I don't know if I could handle stress again.'

Sawyer heard Danny loading their final supplies into a taxi and begin the climb up their front steps. 'Well in that case, we have nothing left to say but goodbye.

Jared and Sawyer hugged each other tightly, holding on for just a few seconds longer than would be okay in any situation besides that one, Jared gave her one final squeeze as he let go, 'I'll be sure to visit more, okay.'

'And I'll be sure to call more. I love you, Dad.'

'I love you too, girl.'

Jared looked over to see Danny in the corner, shuffling uncomfortably at the scene he saw before him, 'Sorry, didn't mean to intrude.'

Jared laughed, motioning him towards him. They had gotten close over the last while, but he never ceased to be amused by Danny's discomfort when he believed himself to be bothering him, 'Come here Dan, give me a proper goodbye.'

Danny pulled the other man into a hug, 'Thanks for having me Jared, there was no need too.'

'Happy to have you here. Besides, Sawyer probably would have killed me if she didn't have you to keep her company.'

The two broke apart, and Jared glanced between the other two people happily. 'Be sure to call me if any of the things Danny and I spoke about come to fruition.'

Sawyer looked between the two, smirking, 'Oh? And what exactly were-'

Danny launched forward to grab her hand, 'Nothing, not important. Hey, we'd better get out of here!' He got this all out in a rush, dragging her towards the cab.

Sawyer laughed at that, 'You two are so strange


	9. December 23rd 1940

'Sawyer! You gonna be long? We need to get going soon if we want to beat traffic!'

Sawyer glanced out the window to where Danny stood, leaned against his car and looking antsy. The gang had decided to stay in the mountains for the holidays, and Danny was anxious to get up there early. Sawyer waved him off for a few minutes, and went back to her phone conversation.

She could hear Jared laughing, 'He is right you know, you do need to get out early. Hell, I'm leaving here soon. Did you even let him call his folks?'

'Yes...briefly. Don't judge me...You sure you don't mind spending Christmas apart?'

'You kidding? I'll miss you, but there's no way I'm passing up a chance at Christmas in the Caribbean. Besides, you two should spend Christmas together.'

Jared's brother had invited him to accompany his family down to the Bahamas for Christmas, and Danny's family had been equally scattered, as people went to stay with their in-laws. It seemed like the obvious choice had been to plan Christmas with their friends; from that it was decided that they would rent a few cabins up in the Rockies and spend Christmas there.

'Come on, don't act like you don't want to spend Christmas with your boyfriend.'

'It's not that I don't, just want to make sure you're okay.'

'I'll be fine. You run off and join himself. Call James' once you arrive.'

'Can do.'

* * *

'And we have snow!' Danny slowed down the car, allowing them to take in the white flakes falling around their car. Almost as soon as they hit the Rockies the sky had opened; admittedly, that had been one of the main reasons why they had made the tip. Both had grown up in places which got more than their fair share of snow, and Christmas wouldn't have felt the same without it.

Sawyer looked out, a big grin on her face. 'This is all I wanted. Just feels right, you know?'

'Course I do! It's like Christmas in Kokomo; except for that time we got a foot of snow on Christmas Eve and had to spend half the night clearing a path. This is just pleasant.'

They drove in silence for a few minutes, as Danny took off onto the less travelled roads and Sawyer continued to look out the window. This continued on for a few moments, when Danny reached out a hand to link his fingers with Sawyer's.

Sawyer felt the need to give him one of her trademark smirks before accepting the gesture as it was given. She took up his hand to place a kiss to the back of it, 'Very sweet, Mr. Kelly.'

'Heh, just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you', silence fell on them again for a moment. 'Listen, I'm really glad we're doing this. I know we're both going to miss our folks, but...you know, there isn't anyone else I'd rather...'

'I know what you mean', she gave his hand a soft squeeze. 'And for the record, you know I feel-'

_***BANG***_

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a loud pop coming from underneath them. Danny seemed to lose control for a moment, before managing to guide it to the side of the road.

Sawyer stepped out of the car, 'What the hell was that?'

Danny unbuckled himself, opening his door in the process, 'Not sure. Sounded like a tire.'

Sure enough Danny was right, except it was two tires instead of one. Fabulous.

She sighed, 'Do you have a spare?'

'I have one, not two?'

'You think we would get there on one?'

'Not on these roads. It was hard enough to keep the thing steady anyway'.

Sawyer frowned, looking down both ends of the street. It was pretty empty, and had been for as long as either of them had been on it. Any hope of someone coming to rescue them was slim.

'I think our best bet is probably finding a payphone. You see one on the way?'

Danny shook his head. 'Didn't see one on the way, but that doesn't mean there wasn't one. Guard the car while I'm gone? Shouldn't be more than twenty minutes.'

They decided it was the best bet, and Danny took off as Sawyer set up camp in the car. It shouldn't take too long.

* * *

It shouldn't take an hour to find a payphone, Sawyer thought, gnawing at her lip. The fool probably went and got lost. I always told him not to talk to strangers.

Deep down Sawyer knew that she was only getting mad at him because it was easier than being worried, but if she admitted that the fear would set in. It was creeping up on two hours since she had seen him, and she had yet to see any sign of life. Specifically Danny.

Every minute she tried to calm herself, and each minute the panic grew. Jesus, would he not have known to turn back if it had taken him so long to find anything? It was freezing out there, and it wasn't as if he had much meat on his bones to keep him warm. The car was far from toasty, but it was enough. He should know better.

Hell, who knows what kind of person could be out there? They were so far from anywhere, and just because she hadn't seen anyone didn't mean there weren't any weirdos lurking. In the amount of time he was gone he could have found any kind of creep, he could be-

**_*knockknock*_**

She nearly flew out of her seat at that, throwing a frantic glance at whoever it was getting into their car, only to find a sweet, orange furred, green eyed man staring back at her.

'Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya! It took me awhile to find a phone and then I took a wrong turn-'

Danny was cut off by Sawyer, who threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hard kiss, holding a hand to the back of his neck to prevent him from moving (Not that he wanted to).

Finally the pair pulled apart for air, resting their foreheads against the other's. 'Jesus Danny, don't ever scare me like that again.' She muttered, trying to regain her composure.

Danny pulled back, a broad smile on his face. 'If that was my reward every time I'd be tempted.' He leaned forward to place a kiss to her cheek, 'Anyway, the guy said the should be here with a spare in like an hour'.

Sawyer breathed a sigh of relief, resting her head back against the headrest, 'Thank god...still, I don't know if I can sit here for another hour. Lie with me in the back?'

'Gladly!'

* * *

'You know, this is actually pretty comfy.'

'I can't believe we're only making this discovery now.'

The couple had managed to set up a makeshift rest area, and it was serving them well. It could never be said that they weren't resourceful.

Despite the panic she had felt minutes before, Sawyer was now struggling to remember a time she felt more at ease. Help was coming, shared body heat was keeping her nice and toasty, and she was cuddling with her boyfriend. She could think of worse ways to spend a Saturday.

Still, complacency had never been her strong suit. She sat up, and leaned over Danny, faces scant centimetres apart. 'Can I tell you something?'.

'Shoot.'

'I never thanked you. You know, for showing up at Dad's when you did. Not many men would have, and I truly do realise how-'

Danny blushed, 'Aw Sawyer, you don't need to do this.'

'I do. I dated some terrible guys before you Danny. You are so vastly out of their league. I don't tell you enough, but you are wonderful. You're the first person I've ever met who I could imagine spending the rest of my life with.'

Danny closed the distance between them with a soft kiss, 'I love you.'

Sawyer chuckled, 'I guess that's basically what I'm trying to say.'

'Good, we agree then.'

Something strange came over his face in that moment, as if he was seeing something different in her for the first time.

Sawyer smiled, 'Penny for your thoughts?'

'Well...it's just what you said about, you know, spending our lives...'

Sawyer smirked, 'Spit it out Dan.'

'Well...what are your current opinions on that?'

Sawyer looked at him curiously, before realisation dawned on her, 'Danny Kelly, are you suggesting what I think you are?'

Danny sat up, and reached for something in his coat pocket. Hiding it from view, he pressed it into her hand. She looked down at the small velvet box in her hand.

'I saw it in Boston a couple of months back. I know we've talked about getting married before, and I wanted to save this for when we both felt like the time was right.

Sawyer looked down at the box in her hand for what felt like an eternity.

Danny's face flashed red, 'Listen, you don't need to say yes, I just want you to know that-'

He was stopped by two soft hands which cradled his face, before a soft pair of lips were placed against his. They stayed in that position for what seemed like hours before breaking apart, both with huge smiles on their faces.

'You don't want to look at the ring before you say yes?'

'I don't need to.'

* * *

A couple of hours later the pair pulled up to the cabins, only to be greeted by the site of an excited hippo running toward them. Of course Tillie would be freaking out. The pair gave each other a soft, private smile before they stepped out.

The ground nearly shook with the force of the hippo running towards them, 'Thank God you're here, we were so worried! Where did you-?'

Tillie stopped in her tracks. She glanced rapidly between Danny, Sawyer and Sawyer's finger. It seemed to take her a moment to process what was happening when-

'YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED. EVERYONE, COME QUICK THEY'RE ENGAGED. Oh wow, I'm so excited, I'm just so happy for you two, I knew it had to happen soon!'

It didn't take the others long to realise the significance of what was going on, and soon they were surrounded. The ring was being passed around and stories were being swapped.

'Guys!', Sawyer held up a hand, trying to stall their friends. 'I love you all, and I'm happy you're happy, but I really need to call my family. Dan, you too.'

The two separated, and went to find the payphones located on site. Luckily there were two; their first spat as an engaged couple could wait.

Sawyer could feel the tension building as the phone rang, and she was prepared to give up all hope when she heard a voice at the other end.

'Hello?'

'Uncle James?'

'It's Dad darling, but I'm never going to complain about being mistaken for a younger man. You got there safely?'

'Just about, we had a few bumps on the road...not all of them bad.'

'Oh? And what do you mean by that?'

'Well, Danny and I got stranded for a while, and, well...'

She heard a holler on his end, 'Sawyer McDermid, are you getting married?'

Sawyer was taken aback, 'How did you know?!'

'A Daddy always knows, sweetheart. Always knows.'

* * *

**Epilogue**

Sawyer sat up, squinting to see through the dark. It had been a late night for them all, between trying to get in their supplies for Christmas and the endless questions about their impending nuptials. She was starting to suspect that Tillie already had the whole thing mentally planned.

She found herself standing on their balcony, enjoying the cold night air on her skin. In all the excitement it was hard to get a grasp on how she was feeling. Only then did she know she was happy.

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her face, and a chin rest on her shoulder.

'Think we're going to live happily ever after?' he whispered.

'I think we have a better chance than most.'


End file.
